1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connecting rod for an internal combustion engine, and to an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 10 2010 016 037 A1 and FIG. 1 herein show a connecting rod of an internal combustion engine with an adjustable compression ratio. With reference to FIG. 1, the connecting rod 10 has a pin bearing eye 11 and a connecting rod bearing eye 12. The pin bearing eye 11 functions to attach the connecting rod 10 to a crankshaft (not shown in FIG. 1) and the connecting rod bearing eye 12 functions to attach the connecting rod 10 to a cylinder piston (not shown in FIG. 1) of the internal combustion engine. The connecting rod 10 has an eccentric adjusting device 13 that has an eccentric (not shown in FIG. 1), an eccentric lever 14 and eccentric rods 15, 16. The eccentric lever 14 has a bore arranged eccentrically with respect to a center point 17 of the connecting rod bearing eye 12 with a center point 18. The bore in the eccentric lever 14 receives the eccentric and a bore in the eccentric receives a gudgeon pin. The eccentric adjusting device 13 is used to adjust an effective connecting rod length leff; the connecting rod length can be understood to mean the spacing of the center point 18 of the bore in the eccentric lever 14 from a center point 19 of the pin bearing eye 11. The eccentric rods 15, 16 can be displaced to rotate the eccentric body 14 and therefore to change the effective connecting rod length leff. Each eccentric rod 15, 16 has a piston 20, 21 that is guided displaceably in a hydraulic chamber 22, 23. A hydraulic pressure prevails in the hydraulic chambers 22, 23 and acts on the pistons 20, 21 that are assigned to the eccentric rods 15, 16. Displacement of the eccentric rods 15, 16 is possible or impossible depending on the oil quantity in the hydraulic chambers.
The adjustment of the eccentric adjusting device 13 is initiated by the action of inertia and load forces of the internal combustion engine that act on the eccentric adjusting device 13 during a work stroke of the internal combustion engine. The directions of action of the forces that act on the eccentric adjusting device 13 change constantly during a work stroke. The adjusting movement is assisted by the pistons 20, 21 that are loaded with hydraulic oil and act on the eccentric rods 15, 16. The pistons 20, 21 prevent a return of the eccentric adjusting device 13 due to varying directions of the forces that act on the eccentric adjusting device 13. The eccentric rods 15, 16 that interact with the pistons 20, 21 are attached to the eccentric body 14 on both sides. The pistons 20, 21 are guided in hydraulic chambers 22 and 23 that can be loaded with hydraulic oil from the pin bearing eye 11 via hydraulic oil lines 24 and 25. Non-return valves 26 and 27 prevent a return flow of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic chambers 23 and 24 back into the hydraulic lines 24 and 25. A switchover valve 29 is accommodated in a bore 28 of the connecting rod 10. The switching position of the switchover valve 29 determines which of the hydraulic chambers 22 and 23 is filled with hydraulic oil and which of the hydraulic chambers 22 and 23 is emptied and determines the adjusting direction or rotational direction of the eccentric adjusting device 13. Fluid lines 30 and 31 connect the hydraulic chambers 22 and 23 to the bore 28 that accommodates the switchover valve 29. FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an actuating means 32, a spring device 33 and a control piston 34 of the switchover valve 29, all of which function as described in DE 10 2010 016 037 A1.
As described above, the hydraulic oil that acts on the pistons 20, 21 is fed from the pin bearing eye 11 via hydraulic lines 24 and 25 to the hydraulic chambers 22, 23. The connecting rod 10 acting by way of the pin bearing eye 11 on the crankshaft (not shown in FIG. 1) so that a connecting rod bearing shell 35 is arranged between a crankshaft bearing journal of the crankshaft and the pin bearing eye.
DE 101 08 461 B4 discloses a crankshaft bearing for an internal combustion engine with an adjustable compression ratio. The crankshaft is mounted in eccentric rings in the crankshaft bearing. The outer circumferential face of the eccentric ring has a circumferential oil distribution groove. Oil can pass in the direction of the oil distribution groove via an oil inflow channel in the engine housing.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel internal combustion engine and a novel connecting rod.